New guidelines for social workers

A new set of draft guidelines covering conduct and ethics for social workers has been published.

Failure to meet the standards set out in the code could lead to disciplinary hearings for social workers.

However, the body introducing the code in advance of full statutory regulations, does not intend to investigate older cases. This is despite concern being raised over the role of social workers in a number of high profile investigations in recent years including the Roscommon child abuse case.

The new code contains guidelines on a wide range of issues including confidentiality and competence. If found guilty of professional misconduct, registered practitioners could be suspended or have their registration cancelled.

A public consultation on the new code has begun and Coru, the body responsible for regulating health and social care workers, has invited patient representative groups, children’s rights representatives, trade unions and professional bodies to take part in the process.

Coru is currently in the process of establishing statutory regulations for professionals across 12 disciplines. Social workers are to be the first of the 12 professions to be registered with the other 11 with regulations for clinical biochemists, dieticians, medical scientists, occupational therapists, orthoptists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, psychologists, radiographers, social care workers, and speech and language therapists to follow.

Launching the consultation process today Ginny Hanrahan, chief executive of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council at Coru, said statutory registration of staff was "fundamental to the delivery of accountability in the provision of health and social care services in Ireland."

The Irish Association of Social Workers has welcomed publication of the draft guidelines.

A full copy of the draft code is available on www.coru.ie.